The following infographic will guide you through the main steps to become an EPC payment scheme participant:
Participation to the EPC payment schemes does not require EPC membership. The first step in adhering to the EPC payment schemes is to download the Guide to the EPC payment schemes adherence process.
Guide to the EPC payment schemes adherence process
FAQs to the EPC Adherence Guide
This guide details the eligibility criteria and the instructions for completing the adherence pack. It also lists the information and documents that payment service providers (PSPs) have to provide to substantiate their adherence.
For each scheme to which the applicant wishes to adhere, three template documents have to be completed and signed.
- The adherence agreement, which summarises the main information submitted by the PSP and formalises the PSP’s participation.
- The schedule information document, in which the PSP specifies its contact details, foreseen reachability date and details for invoicing.
- The legal opinion, signed by a legal counsel internal or external to the applicant. There are two templates, one ‘standard’ and one for licensed branches of non-SEPA country institutions.
These documents are included for information in the adherence guide and available below in the adherence packs for each scheme:
SEPA Credit Transfer scheme adherence pack
SEPA Credit Transfer scheme adherence pack - Extended Remittance Information option
SEPA Instant Credit Transfer scheme adherence pack
SEPA Direct Debit Core scheme adherence pack
SEPA Direct Debit Business-to-Business scheme adherence pack
One-Leg Out Instant Credit Transfer scheme adherence pack
As detailed in the adherence guide, other documents and information might have to be provided, for example regarding the applicant’s reachability.
The adherence pack can be sent:
- Either via the PSP’s National Adherence Support Organisation (NASO – usually the national banking association). This document provides the name and contact address of each NASO in SEPA.
- Or directly to the EPC.
New scheme participants will need the following documents to implement an EPC payment scheme in their systems:
The payment scheme rulebook, which is the set of rules, obligations and technical standards for the execution of a payment. The technical translation of the rulebook into ISO 20022 payment messages is described in the scheme customer-to-PSP and the inter-PSP implementation guidelines. The rulebooks and the related implementation guidelines are available on the following links:
SEPA Credit Transfer (SCT) rulebook
SEPA Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst) rulebook
SEPA Direct Debit Core (SDD Core) rulebook
SEPA Direct Debit Business-to-Business (SDD B2B) rulebook
One-Leg Out Instant Credit Transfer (OCT Inst) rulebook
The SEPA Payment Scheme Management Rules explaining the principles governing the administration and evolution of the scheme:
Read more about the SEPA Payment Scheme Management Rules
If you have further questions, you can contact the EPC.